Kucukcekmece Djemevi Istanbul concept building, West Turkey images, New Turkish architecture
Kucukcekmece Djemevi in Istanbul
28 November 2024
Design: EAA-Emre Arolat
Location: Küçükçekmece, Istanbul, Western Türkiye
Images: EAA-Emre Arolat
Kucukcekmece Djemevi, Turkey
The Kucukcekmece Djemevi project was selected as the winner among the first-place winners of 14 different categories. This marks the first time a project from Turkey has received this prestigious award.
In addition to this significant recognition, the Küçükçekmece Djemevi project also won the WAFX Award in the “Power and Justice” category. This award honors designs that address global issues such as climate change, health, technology, ethics, and values with an innovative approach.
In a context where policies are driven by identities, dividing the populace into different classes and alienating distinct clusters outside the major identity groups to make them seem precarious in the eyes of society becomes one of the easiest ways for oppressive regimes to control physical spaces in the city.
The Küçükçekmece Djemevi was designed considering the sociological atmosphere created by the pressure of such marginalization, alongside the constantly redefined identity issue of Alevism and the community’s need for a legitimate space. In this context, both oral and written documents belonging to this culture were examined. The patterns of “cem” (gathering, assembling) were traced, and the main settlement decisions were made in accordance with the requirements of this ritual.
Observing the periodic usage patterns of the existing parking lot and surrounding areas where the building will be located revealed a significant need for a quality recreation area. It was anticipated that the city park, designed with this perspective, could also address the region’s deficiency in this regard. Utilizing the topographical features of the surroundings, the djemevi and its ancillary facilities, accessible directly from the vehicle road, were positioned as fragmented structures on a lower level within the park. This arrangement, made with the principle of spatial fluidity in mind, created courtyards that accommodate different usage patterns. These courtyards were connected both visually and physically with the park located on the upper level.
The tranquil atmosphere of the main transportation artery was reflected in the arrangement of one of the main communal spaces, Hayat (Life), and the surrounding Dining Hall, Reading Room, and Classrooms, designed in a composition reminiscent of traditional rural typology. The worship area, which users can access directly from both Life and the main entrance, was designed with the concept of gathering and unity inherent in cem rituals, featuring the Conversation Square, Cem Square, and courtyard structure.
About EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture
EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture – https://emrearolat.com/ was founded in May 2004 by Emre Arolat and Gonca Pasolar in Istanbul, as the continuation of Emre Arolat’s architectural practice, which he started at his parents’ office, Arolat Architects, in 1987. Today, EAA is not only one of the largest architectural offices of Turkey, but is also recognized globally with its additional offices in New York and London.
Since its establishment, the studio has built an impressively wide range of works, from urban masterplans, to airport, residential, and cultural buildings and workplaces. EAA is highly regarded for its ability to reconcile the identity and rootedness of the context and the place within its cultural, historical, and geographic conditions, with the inescapable demands of the contemporary world to succeed in delivering a compelling design as result.
The architectural significance of EAA was supported by many international awards, including the Mies Van der Rohe Award for European Architecture for the Minicity Theme Park in Antalya, Turkey in 2004, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture with the design for the Ipekyol Textile Factory in Edirne, Turkey in 2006. More recently, in 2018, the Sancaklar Mosque was awarded with RIBA International Prize.
The co-founder and lead designer of the practice, Emre Arolat, is an internationally sought-after lecturer at prestigious universities. Recently, he taught at the Advanced Studio at Yale School of Architecture as Norman R. Foster Visiting Professor in the 2017 Fall Semester. In 2019, Arolat was elected an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Additionally, he served on the Steering Committee of Aga Khan Award’s Fourteenth Cycle (2017-2019).
Renders: EAA-Emre Arolat
Kucukcekmece Djemevi, Istanbul, Turkey images / information received 281124 from v2com newswire
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
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